I was rather disappointed in this book. The writing is not at all stimulating, and completely ignores the adage of "Show, don't tell." While it is mildly interesting, it is forgettable. Certain plot points appear out of nowhere, with no build-up or even a believable background, most noticeably the ending. Very little time is spent on the characters we love, Erik gets only a single, three-page chapter to himself, Christine is all but ignored, and Raoul gets only a cameo appearance. The story could have been compelling and interesting, but the plot fell flat, along with most of the characters.

In fact, the only two characters that had any amount of interest to them were Charles Bloom and Father Joseph Kilfoyle, the former of which nearly saved the book, the latter which was barely explored. In fact, if you skip every chapter except Bloom's, you would be able to understand not only the entire plot, but you would have saved yourself time and a great deal of poorly written "story".

We all know the story of *The Phantom of the Opera*...well this is part two...like we always knew, there is more to the Phantom's story....a great book that lets us know what happens to our Phantom after he escapes from the opera house that night...how he lives the next 13 years...what happens when he once again meets his Christine...and the big secret Christine kept from him and hoped he'd never learn .

More than two decades have passed since Antoinette Giry, the mistress of the corps de ballet at the Paris Opera, rescued a hideously disfigured boy named Erik from a carnival and brought him to live in the labrinthine cellars of the opera house. Soon, threafter, his intense, unrequited love for a beautiful chorous girl set in motion a tragic strain of events, forcing him to flee Paris forever. Now, as she lies dying in a convent, Madame Giry tells the untold story of the Phantom and his clandestine journey to New York City to start anew, where he would become a wealthy entrepreneur and build the glorious Manhattan Opera House...all so he could see his beloved, now a famous diva, once again. But the outcome of her visit would prove even more devestating than before-and yet, would allow the Phantom to know, for the first time in his brutal life, the true meaning of love...

"The Phantom of the Opera escapes to the U.S. and becomes a ruthless multimillionaire, still masked and obsessed with the singer Christine. Then a letter from Paris changes his life. What happens next is told from various perspectives, each of which advances the plot...The soft-voiced phantom, the snobby columnist, the evil Darius-each adds color to the story while painting a vivid portrait of early twentieth-century New York. The dialogue on human nature between the priest and God hits the heights dramatically... " AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine--

This book did not do justice to The Phantom of the Opera or any of its characters. If Erik hadn't truly died at the end of the original novel, he would have died at the thought of this sequel. Very disappointing.

I think this story continuation was quite nice as it is a sequel to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway (and West End) musical of the same name, all based on Leroux' original work. My review is based on reading this book alone without reference to the original [by Gaston Leroux] - which I haven't read. I found the book extremely engaging and readable. The fact that different narratives can bring so much life into a story was something I did not believe till I read this novel. I strongly recommend that you read this book for its engaging and immensely rewarding story-telling style.

One's heart can not help going out to the Phantom . There is a lot of heartache and meanness in this world, and the Phantom has had more than his share. Does he find happiness and contentment in the end? Read the book. Go see the show when it opens on Broadway this fall (Love Never Dies). Just has he rejuvenated Leroux's original work, he will rejuvenate and launch this book to new heights.

In 1906 Erik, the creature with the hideous face but poetic heart, has escaped to America, to a life that begins in misery, but in time makes him incredibly weathy and brutally powerful. But he never forgot the obsessional love of his life, Christine, the understudy who became a mega-star due to this coaching. Then a mysterious, life-changing letter arrives from Paris and he determines he must see her again, a decision that leads to a vortex of passion, love, s in, death, and redemption.

If you always want to know waht happened after The End and are a fan of The Phantom of the Opera, here's a book for you. Andrew Lloyd Webber says "Forysth not only captures the spirit and style of Gaston Leroux's original novle but also the romance and thrills that make the Phantom such an allurig character."

Wow! This is an awesome book! I normally read romances, it takes a really good book to keep my attention if it's not a romance. The Phantom of Manhattan did just that! It is the ultimate fanfiction, well written and beautifully depicted words, I have yet to read Leroux's POTO, but have just picked it up at my local library, can't wait to read the original, I am a huge fan of Andrew Lloyd Weber's Phantom of The Opera film and will soon weigh the differences. If you want to know what happens after The Phantom of The Opera, then this is the book for you, If you haven't seen the film, broadway show, or read Leroux's POTO wait on this read, I will somewhat spoil the beginning of the story for you. Enjoy this read! I know I did!

Long time friends, Andrew Lloyd Webber, who brought his musical interpretation of Phantom Of The Opera to the stage, and verteran writer Frederick Forsyth discussed how the story might have continued. What happened to the Phantom and Christine? The Phantom Of Manhattan is the result of those musings and the continuation of the classic story.